If Only
by Quezacolt
Summary: After 'The Storm', an alternate ending. How will the Major save Elizabeth from certain death? How will he free his hostages?


**If only**

**_Author's note: All I can say, is I hate summer breaks for Stargate Sg-1 and Atlantis. Damn the people who thought to put us all on hold with that cliffhanger they left us with on 'the storm'._**

**Enjoy;**

John stared into the radio with horror written on his face.

Genii Commander Kolya didn't respond to his desperate screams, and John wondered if he had fired yet.

"You can't kill her!" He screamed, pulling at his soaking hair and ignoring the tears mingled with the raindrops on his face. "Kolya!" He screamed, "Kolya!"

Pulling out his gun, John ran, forgetting his cat-mouse plan, forgetting everything but a mad desire to save the only woman who ever respected him for who he was.

"Kolya!" McKay screamed, as he aimed at each part of Elizabeth's body, looking for the most pain. "Don't do this!"

Stopping for a second, he stared at McKay and whispered, voice full of pure evil;

"Don't push me Doctor. Or you'll be next."

Rodney glanced apologetically at Weir, wincing when Kolya raised his gun.

"Don't worry Rodney." Elizabeth said pointedly, "It's not your fault I'm going to die. You did everything right."

Smiling, Kolya pulled the trigger.

The gun exploded, just as an explosion rocked the outside of the control center. The ceiling began to collapse, And John Sheppard climbed through the door, squinting through the thick fog of debris, climbing over fallen portions of the roof to where a woman could be seen lying over the debris. Checking her pulse, he grimly bit his lip when he found none.

"Sorry Sora." He whispered, frowning as he continued on. He hadn't wanted to be the reason on anyone's death.

"Ow." Came a small voice from under some rubble. Rushing over, he began pulling it out, until a hand gripped him around the throat.

"That was a mistake." Kolya hissed, tightening his grip and cutting off John's air.

"Kolya..." He whispered, slumping slightly as his vision began to blur.

A large pain could suddenly be felt, and John was surprised to see the blade of a knife slowly crossing his throat.

Suddenly a bang could be heard and the hands vanished. Oxygen rushed into John's lungs and he slumped to his knees, gripping his throat. Turning slightly, he found McKay holding a lump of wood over Kolya's body.

"Lucky I was always good at digging my way out of situations." He said, holding a wound on his forehead which was bleeding profusely.

Standing up, and gripping the red seeping along his throat, he stumbled past McKay, past the bodies of the Genaii lying along to the floor, to the silent figure of Elizabeth Weir.

Blood was rushing from her shoulder, her face was pale and she was lying still.

"Come on Liz." He whispered hoarsely, pushing a stray hair behind her ear. "I didn't blow up the control room to have to die."

A faint smile slipped onto her features, and her eyes opened slightly.

"You blew up my control room?"

He smiled, and gently pressed his hand into her gunshot wound.

"Sorry, I had no choice. A friend of mine was about to be shot."

She looked down.

"I was shot."

"Yes, Yes you were."

"Your plan didn't work very well. You destroyed my control room for no reason."

He sighed.

"At least it's only your shoulder."

A look of concern crossed her features.

"Your neck." She whispered, struggling to sit up.

He ginned despite his pain and stared her into her eyes.

"Stop trying to be the hero." He said smartly. "I'm the hero, you don't need to be."

She tried to smile, a delicate hand came up and pressed gently against his bleeding throat.

"We need Bekett." She whispered.

"Why?" He asked, helping her to a sitting position. "We're going to die anyway. I couldn't shut off the last grounding control station."

She looked down.

"That's no problem." Said McKay from behind them. "I can fix it."

John stared at him for a long minute.

"Are you ready for one last mission, Major John Sheppard?" Elizabeth asked, trying to stand. John smiled. Their spirit amazed him sometimes.

Maybe it was just the blood loss.

"Lets go kick some Genaii ass." He said, struggling to his feet and supporting Liz.

He picked his P90 from the floor and climbed over the bodies to the door with his attack team.

"Sora." Liz said as they passed her body. She didn't mention a thing as they passed Kolya, just glared at the bloody knife that lay in his hand.

"This way." McKay said quietly, holding his arm which was bleeding and turning down a long corridor.

"Hey!" Yelled a Genaii soldier. "You there! Stop!"

Sighing, John glanced at Liz, her face showing slight fear, as he turned to the soldier, raising his P90.

"Don't even think about it buddy." Said another one, standing beside the first. "Give us your guns."

Elizabeth stared in fear as two guards stopped John further down the corridor.

She stared at them, not moving, they took his P90, their only way of escape.

Uh oh.

John turned and glanced at her, a long meaningful glance, before his hand slid discreetly into his pocket.

He stared up at something, something in the roof, and Liz glanced up, spying a C4 block planted in the corner.

"John!" She screamed, surprising the guards and McKay. "John! No!"

Without looking at her, he said aloud;

"I'm sorry. Forgive me." Before flames erupted, and John, plus the guards were lost in the explosion.

Hands grabbed her shoulders as she tried desperately to reach him, just in time, despite the pain of her wound, she was thrown backwards by McKay, as the roof collapsed and the corridor was lost.

Major John Sheppard, was dead.

"Come one." Said a gruff voice in her ear. "We have to get to that station." Rodney pulled her to her feet and pulled her in the opposite direction, away from the carnage and toward the last grounding station.

A while later, without any more obstacles in their way, Rodney found himself tinkering with grounding station control pad. Elizabeth was curled up in the corner, sobbing silently as rain pattered their faces and wind stung their raw faces.

"You know once we deactivate this," Rodney called, "The lightning can strike at any time and we can die?"

Only silence answered to his ears, and he knew Liz didn't care if they died anymore.

"Hello? Hello, can anyone hear us?" The radio crackled to life on Rodney's shoulder, he pulled it off, realizing the voice belonged to Ford.

"Lieutenant?" McKay answered. "Ford? Can you hear me?"

Ford answered immediately.

"McKay? What's going on? We're in the control room, the storm passed the mainland."

"John's dead!" Liz cried into her radio. "He's gone!"

They were met by silence.

Rodney bit his lip.

"We're at the grounding station. Stay in the control room! There's a small chance we'll survive once we cut the power."

Ford answered, voice choked slightly.

"We'll be waiting."

Sighing as he turned back to the control pad, he was surprised when he heard the sound of a gun being cocked.

"What the-?" He turned to find a very beaten and bloody looking Major slide through the doors, his handgun drawn.

"McKay?" He asked, his eyes slightly clouded over. "Run." He whispered, sliding to the ground. Weir jumped to her feet, and raced over, pulling him by the arms to McKay, when they heard footsteps.

"Ford!" He screamed into the radio. "We need help here! Help! John is alive! Genaii are here! Help!"

Nobody answered.

"Deactivate the station!" Elizabeth yelled, slipping back into her fearless commando mode.

Rodney quickly turned back to it, pressing a few switches and watched as the power shut down.

Leaning down to her knees, Liz took John's unconscious hand, squeezing it slightly. McKay sat beside her, as they waited for their deaths.

Suddenly white light filled the room, and the three forms disappeared without a trace, as the room filled with electricity.

Liz opened her eyes and found herself sitting in the bay of a puddle jumper. Teyla and Bekett stood beside her, Bekett tending to John's wounds. Three shadows stood behind them, and Ford sat in the drivers seat.

"Looks like your plan worked, McKay." Ford commented as they watched the storm hit the shield, which protected the city and the jumper sitting just above the ground.

Liz smiled.

"How did you know?"

Teyla kneeled down.

"We didn't." She whispered, "But we could not leave you all behind."

Liz smiled as a moan could be heard, John opened his eyes as Carson moved on the McKay, who was sitting quietly.

"John?" She asked quietly, sliding up to him. He moved slightly, staring at her.

"Hi." He said happily, blinking.

"You survived." She said, stating the obvious.

"I couldn't leave you behind." He said truthfully, without breaking eye contact.

She smiled and leaned forward, kissing him deeply.

"I love you." He whispered, as people cheered around them.

Everyone was in good spirits. They had survived.

And cities could be rebuilt. Atlantis was no exception.

**_The End_**


End file.
